


Leoniles collection

by Miyukitty



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Blood and Injury, Canon Compliant, Canon-Typical Violence, Drabble Collection, Emotional Baggage, Hair Kink, Horses, Hurt/Comfort, Illustrations, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Light Bondage, Literal Sleeping Together, M/M, Nosebleed, Romantic Fluff, Vines
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-08
Updated: 2017-02-24
Packaged: 2018-09-15 20:28:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 5,037
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9255563
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Miyukitty/pseuds/Miyukitty
Summary: A collection of oneshots written & drawn forLeoniles Week 2017,Vlockers, et al, featuring Lord Leo and his retainer Niles from FE14.





	1. Firsts

 

 

"I changed my mind, milord. Perhaps I'm of more use to you on foot. Better mobility and all."

 

Leo sighed and massaged his temples.

 

"Don't be difficult, Niles," he warned testily. "You told me, in no uncertain terms, that you would be willing to learn horseback archery. And unless I am terribly mistaken, that skill _does_ involve getting on the back of a horse."

 

Niles squinted at the black beast in front of him. He was familiar with this horse, but it didn't mean he trusted it. Leo had his personal mount dressed in simple tack rather than the dark knight's skeletal armor, and stood impatiently with the reins bunched in his fist. The gelding eyed Niles placidly, then lowered his head to lip at a mouthful of grass.

 

"The beast is feral, milord. It's readying to trample me as we speak."

 

"Get on the horse, Niles. That's an order."

 

"It's been a pleasure serving you. Know that I'm grateful to lay down my life in the line of duty as your most faithful retainer. Remember my final moments fondly."

 

"Children learn how to ride horses. You are a grown man capable of handling yourself in armed combat. I'm confident in your chances of surviving a riding lesson."

 

Niles raised an eyebrow at the potential innuendo, but chose to curb his tongue. "I was no horsethief as a child, milord," he protested instead, grudgingly approaching the saddle. He gingerly placed his palm against the smooth column of the animal's neck, but the horse ignored him in favor of grazing.

 

Niles hesitated, then glanced back to Leo. "I've never done this before," he prompted, as though he hadn't made that abundantly clear.

 

Leo's glare softened. With an exasperated sigh, he took Niles's hand for balance and corrected his posture, directing his left boot into the stirrup so that he could swing his right leg over the saddle.

 

Niles slouched low in the saddle, good eye narrowed with concentration. He already felt foolish, but as long as he didn't fall on his ass, he would consider this a success.

 

"There, now just hold onto the pommel for balance," Leo murmured.

 

Niles did not release his death grip on Leo's hand.

 

After a moment of awkward silence, Leo took a careful step forward, leading the horse with one hand, steadying Niles with the other. Niles was more nervous than he cared to admit aloud – he was no great fan of heights, and while he'd learned to compensate for depth perception with his bow, it was entirely different being on top of a swaying, rocking animal. The concept of becoming a bow knight was more distant than ever – wouldn't he need both hands for his weapon? He had newfound respect for Leo's talent, but it only gave him less confidence in his own.

 

"In time you'll get used to controlling your mount with just your legs," Leo said, as though reading his mind.

 

Niles snickered that time, and Leo groaned.

 

"Will you just concentrate on the task at hand," the prince snapped. "I do hope you're not this stiff by the time _your_ horse arrives."

 

Niles blinked. "My… horse?" he asked stupidly.

 

"You obviously can't ride Gespenst into battle, I need him," Leo stated, nodding toward his gelding. Niles squinted.

 

"So you bought me a horse…? Lord Leo, that's…" Niles shifted his weight uncomfortably in the saddle. This was too much. He was barely learning the basics. It would take months of training before he could even think about performing in battle. "…Undeserving," he finally finished.

 

"I pride myself on my ability to see the value in people and find a role for them," Leo recited, not for the first time. Then a small smile graced his countenance, and he glanced up to catch Niles's eye. "I believe you'll have a talent for this. Prove me right."

 

He gave Niles's hand a squeeze, and then pressed the reins into his palm.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> feel free to yell at me on twitter @magepaw


	2. Roots

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> my train of thought was roots - family tree - nohr family drama - leo continuing his A-support with niles where they talk about past & future? you can read this as a support convo hopefully. but yeah warning for mentions of the canon unpleasant family stuff. :);;
> 
>  ~~gonna add illustration later :D;;~~ updated!!

 

Leo ran his fingers along the tapestry, tracing the lines woven into the fabric. Blood magic hummed beneath his fingertips, reacting to his touch. The threads had been enchanted by generations past to never fray or fade, and so the history of the royal family, legendary artifacts, and ancestry of the Dusk Dragon was recorded for all to view for eternity. The sigil of Nohr marked the names of each king and queen past, their descendants sprawling down the length of the Great Hall.

 

Niles trailed dutifully after him, boot heels clicking against the stone floor. "Ooh, that's nasty," he chuckled to himself, pausing to study a scene. The Nohrian conquerors were depicted setting a town ablaze and cutting down those trying to escape the fire, in graphic detail. He wasn't certain if Niles was being sarcastic or genuine with his praise.

 

"It's quite a legacy," Leo commented after a pause. The next scene illustrated torture chambers deep within the bowels of Krakenburg, chambers Leo knew were still functional. He moved past the scenes of carnage, following the line of inheritance until he finally reached the name Garon. Through Queen Katerina, the draconic line continued to Xander. The burden of begetting heirs fell to him, now, as the direct descendant and crown prince. Queen Arete linked to no one.

 

Leo's finger hovered over his own name, splintered off from Garon between Camilla and Elise. He hummed in thought, absently rubbing his wrist.

 

"My mother showed me this tapestry the first time we were allowed into the castle," he commented. "She swore she would get my name added – that I would be recognized as a full heir to the throne of Nohr. The part I recall most clearly was how she gripped my wrist so tightly there was a bruise the next morning. I suppose her ambition succeeded in the end, but her name has already been forgotten by history. That woman gained nothing for all the grief she caused."

 

Flickering torchlight cast a long shadow as his retainer padded back to his side. He felt the reassuring warmth of Niles's hand brush against his shoulder, though it quickly retreated.

 

The hall was deserted. Leo did not rebuff him.

 

He folded his hands behind his back as he scrutinized the family tree. He knew Camilla had her heart set on adopting every war orphan from here to Hoshido. Leo certainly had no great urge for biological offspring of his own, not after the inheritance dispute he'd been born into, and not with his affinities. It seemed likely none of them would leave descendants recognized by the tapestry unless Xander went out of his way to add them.

 

Then again, Xander was a kinder man than Garon. Perhaps he would make it a point to include everyone he could as family. Perhaps… Leo should tell him, about Niles. When he was ready.

 

"Lady Azura and Lady Corrin aren't here," Niles observed.

 

"No. Father never officially recognized them since they didn't share his blood. Nor did he record the names of every child who did. Only the few of us he sired that survived long enough to meet his standards. Once the assassination attempts began on his mistresses, and he closed off his heart, some of his children he had executed himself."

 

Niles let out a low whistle. "Damn."

 

"Nohrian law is blunt on the subject of traitors," Leo shrugged. He did not mourn those foolish enough to make attempts on Corrin.

 

"Lord Leo. As a kid, I used to envy this castle – to me, stuck in the slums, it looked like you royals had everything while I had nothing. It was a symbol of all the things I was denied. Food. Shelter. Wealth. Family." Niles ticked them off on his fingers, a mirthless smile tugging at his lips.

 

"And now that you find yourself within these coveted walls, you learned there was nothing to be jealous of after all," Leo finished for him.

 

"On the contrary, milord," Niles corrected.

 

Leo raised an eyebrow and turned to face him. The firelight cast Niles's face in warm hues as his roguish smirk eased into a more natural smile. He let his good eye close, and leaned against the stone wall.

 

"The night I climbed these walls and met you for the first time, I remember thinking gutter trash like me was never meant to be inside this place. I figured if I died here, at least I finally satisfied my curiosity and saw the vast riches that lay inside. I'd leave an ugly stain on your floorboards and that would be the highest achievement of my lousy life."

 

Leo frowned. He never liked to hear Niles speak so casually of his worth, but he didn't interrupt as his retainer pressed on.

 

"And then you filled my belly, put a roof over my head, dressed me in finery, and gave me a place to call my own. It took some getting used to, that's for sure," Niles said as he plucked at his clothes, marveling at the fine fabric. "But in the end, the castle really was all those things to me. I was right to be envious, even if I didn't know why at the time. Maybe I was always meant to end up here."

 

"With me," Leo finished.

 

Niles didn't correct him. His fingers strayed to Leo's shoulder again, and this time, Leo's hand rose to meet them. He interlaced their fingers, and with a soft hum, leaned his back into the warmth of Niles's broad chest. Niles leaned in closer, lips brushing against the rim of Leo's ear.

 

"I still don't know what went through this pretty little head of yours, sparing my life that night," Niles whispered, pressing a kiss to his earlobe and eliciting a shiver.

 

"It was nothing so dramatic as 'meant to be'. I was being used as a pawn in a game I had no control over," Leo answered honestly. "I was desperate for a piece of my own on the board. Someone who would answer only to me."

 

"And then I dropped into your lap, a stray willing to do anything," Niles chuckled in that self-deprecating way of his. His arm snaked around Leo's slender waist, anchoring him as he kissed the crook of Leo's neck.

 

Leo squirmed a little, breath hitching in his throat, but voiced no protest. He tightened his hold on Niles's hand, encouraging him. He felt safe, wrapped up in Niles. Safe was not a sensation he felt often. He wasn't ready to tell his family just yet, but soon. He did not want his love for Niles to be a secret any longer. He wanted Niles's name inscribed on the tapestry for all to see.

 

 Niles murmured against his skin, "Please continue to use me for whatever purpose pleases you, milord. I am yours in everything."

 

"And I shall keep you with me, forever," Leo whispered.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> feel free to yell at me on twitter @magepaw


	3. Stars

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Points to the blood/violence tag, I HELD OFF AS LONG AS I COULD APPARENTLY. But it's a happy ending for li'l niles. :) ~~ummm i still wanna add illustrations later but~~ for now you can have a relevant [animation](http://i.imgur.com/O6JuTa7.gif) :))) updated with illustration!

 

In hindsight, Niles shouldn't have entered the room first. He should have known better than to expose his back, but he was greedy, and he was desperate not to get caught, and he was just a stupid kid.

 

The pack of thieves turned on him so quickly Niles had no chance to defend himself. His own dagger clattered uselessly to the floor. He merely bit back his groan when their boot knives flashed in the dark, slipping between the gaps in his ribs while his back was turned. He sagged against the wall to hold himself upright, clutching his sides in a futile attempt to slow the hemorrhaging.

 

He instinctively knew it was bad, what they'd done to him – only magic would patch these holes shut, and no healer was going to waste that on the likes of him.

 

He stared with gritted teeth, waiting, single eye wide as they stood over him and inspected their handiwork. One of the boys added a kick for good measure, and knocked his quivering legs out from under him. Niles hit the floor with a pained grunt. Then the thieves scattered without a word of farewell, leaving him to bleed out or get captured. Either way, he was about to die.  

 

Niles would have done the same to any of them, had he not made a stupid mistake and ended up the scapegoat they'd chosen to sacrifice. This heist was too ambitious to expect they'd all make it unscathed. They all knew it. A distraction like this would improve their odds. He'd still be surprised if any of the bastards escaped the palace alive, not that he'd be around to see it.

 

His labored breathing rang harsh in the empty room. He was cold and dizzy, face pressed against the floor. He could hear footsteps in the corridor, distant, but approaching quickly. He couldn't move. Not that he had anywhere to go.

 

From where he was crumpled on the floor, he could see only starlight. The silver glow shone brightly through the window, casting a square patch of light in the otherwise black room. He merely watched as the edges of the dark pool spreading from him began to creep into the light, gleaming wet against the floorboards.

 

The door blew open with a slam. Angry voices buzzed in his ears, their words not reaching him. When the enchanted vines snarled around his limbs, entangling his shivering body with thorns and dragging him upright, Niles remembered only the sensation of relief. It would be swift.

 

His head lolled forward, affording him a glance of a young nobleman, fair hair and skin washed silver in the starlight. His executioner was beautiful in his cruelty, his voice sharp and cold as it sliced through the haze of his blood loss. This lordling would give him what he needed.

 

Niles smiled at him. Soon, it would all be over soon.

 

* * *

 

 

Niles lay awake in the royal bedchamber, one arm draped heavy over his face. He'd been awake for some time, reminiscing about the few scraps of his past he could still recall. Leo slumbered in bed beside him, tucked up against his side with his hand curled atop Niles's bare chest. Niles brushed the rumpled hair back from his liege's face, but Leo did not stir.

 

It had been a night much like this one when they first met, Niles mused. The cover of darkness had been absolute until the clouds unexpectedly cleared, flooding light into the courtyard and painting Castle Krakenburg in shades of silver. He remembered being dazzled by the sight of it – the width and breadth of this place, a resplendent castle sunken in the heart of the capitol city, the symbol of wealth and power that he so recklessly wanted to defile with his filthy hands.  

 

It was the stars that had betrayed them that night. A sentry had spotted the intruders scaling the tower and raised the alarm, spurring the thieves into drastic action.

 

Niles shifted quietly beside him, propping himself up on one elbow so that he could better study Leo's peaceful face. When the light came cascading in from the window like this, spilling bone white along his high cheekbones, the proud arch of his nose, the curve of his jawbone, he looked younger – as young as he did those years ago, a delirious vision of a savior to a dying boy. Leo's long eyelashes fluttered softly, but he merely made a soft noise and tucked in closer to the warmth of Niles's chest.

 

Niles carefully took Leo's hand in his own, absently rubbing circles with his thumb. Leo's skin was soft beneath his calloused touch. Ever so gently, not wishing to disturb him, Niles raised the hand to his lips and pressed a kiss to his knuckles, one by one. He did not deserve the love of this man, nor the life he'd been given, but Niles would never leave his side.

 

He was grateful for the starlight.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> feel free to yell at me on twitter @magepaw


	4. Blood

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Illustrations added to chaps 2-3, will add one here later! uhhhhh this one definitely isn't happy and it's pre-relationship pining, more canon-compliant stuff from their terrible pasts :,) remember it gets better!! blood warning obvsly

 

"I displeased Father," Leo announced.

 

He stood stiffly in the doorway, shoulders braced, lips pursed in a frown. He refused to meet Niles's horrified gaze, instead glaring at his boots. 

 

"Milord, what happened?!"

 

"I acted on Corrin's behalf. I was… corrected."

 

After a moment, the prince raised his sleeve and gingerly wiped the trickle of blood from his nose. In the warm candlelight, his porcelain skin was already blossoming with shades of mottled blue and ruddy purple, spanning the curve of his cheekbone to the swollen bridge of his nose. It would be a vicious bruise by morning if Leo did not see a healer.

 

Niles slowly curled his fingers into fists. He was no stranger to pain. In his brief but colorful life, he'd earned his share of beatings. There was one time his ribs got kicked in by a drunkard he'd failed to pickpocket; he'd had his fingers stepped on in retaliation for some long-forgotten slight, and he'd had his nose broken enough times that it would be crooked for the rest of his life. He was hardly fazed by violence, but this, this did not sit well with him.

 

(Niles wondered if he'd expected something different, somehow, than the angry red smeared over his chin and staining his silken clothes. Lord Leo's blood was indistinguishable from any other Niles had seen. It wasn't special. "Blue blood" was just a colloquialism. Leo was every inch as mortal as him.) 

 

He dug his fingernails into his palms, willing himself to focus on the sensation before he did something reckless that would reflect poorly on his liege. As Niles stood dumbly in the bedchamber, slack-jawed and staring, Leo jerked his chin up in defiance. His dark eyes were damp, long eyelashes sticking in clumps, but he was too proud to allow himself to cry in front of Niles. The prince stalked over to the seat at his desk and pulled out his quill and ink. His stained hands trembled as he smoothed out a length of parchment.

 

Niles wanted to storm into the throne room, plant his foot on Garon's throat, and empty his quiver into the king's leering skull. Then he would rip out the arrows and fire them into that wasted corpse all over again, over and over, as many times as it took, until that motherfucker could never hurt Leo again.

 

Niles smoothed his ugly grimace back into a carefully neutral expression as he knelt beside Leo's chair, and offered him a damp washrag.

 

"I am writing a letter to my sister," Leo said brusquely. He did not turn to look at Niles. "She doesn't belong locked up in that fortress. Corrin belongs here with us."

 

"Tilt your head back, milord," Niles murmured.

 

Leo complied, allowing Niles to dab delicately at the blood drying on his face. Leo winced, and Niles froze.

 

"It’s cold. Continue," Leo ordered.

 

"Does… this happen often?" Niles ventured, the words falling bitter and hateful from his tongue. He was overstepping a boundary by asking, he was certain, but for once Leo did not rebuff him.

 

Leo stilled. His eyes were closed, now, countenance troubled.

 

"…I will accept whatever punishment I am due when I falter," Leo hedged. "But… things used to be different."

 

"Shall I fetch you a healer?"

 

"Niles, I do not require your services tonight. You are dismissed."

 

Niles wanted to protest, to be of some use, to find some way to protect him from this. He did not want to leave Leo's side for the rest of the night; rage smoldered in his chest, blinding him with the violent urge to make someone pay for this. But he heard the quaver in Leo's voice, the pitiful sniffle at the end of his declaration, and knew it would only wound Leo's pride further if he broke down in front of his retainer.

 

"Good night, Lord Leo," he whispered. 

 

Niles lingered for a moment longer. Leo said nothing as he buried his face in the washrag.  

 

Then Niles bowed and excused himself, leaving Leo to shed his tears in privacy. He would stand guard in the hallway for the rest of the night, and woe betide any fool who tried to disturb Leo before morning. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HEAVILY INSPIRED BY [THIS DRAMA CD EXCERPT](http://nohrhell.tumblr.com/post/151106526851/i-really-wanted-to-let-you-guys-hear-the-best-part), implying that it miiiight not have been garon..... ;w; my heart breaks for this family 
> 
> anyway feel free to yell at me on twitter @magepaw


	5. Treasure

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> late but not forgotten! c: didn't want to leave off on the hurt/no comfort chapter, and I really needed some self indulgence, so. have some hair play fluff set when they're older and not as awkward about intimacy <3 treasured moments........

 

"…Has it always been white?"

 

Niles hummed noncommittally at the question, eye closed with evident pleasure. He was sprawled along the length of the mattress, head nestled in Leo's lap, allowing his liege to card his fingers through his messy hair while his other hand thumbed the pages of his book. Niles adored being touched by Leo like this – this lazy, casual affection that had grown into a routine of theirs as they wound down at the end of the day.

 

He would never truly get used to this sort of gentleness, but he shamelessly looked forward to it.

 

The hand petting him slowed to a halt. Right. The question. He could feel Leo's expectant stare, and shifted his weight slightly with a sigh.

 

"Can't remember if it was ever anything but white," Niles admitted. He snuggled his face into the warmth of Leo's thigh, and pressed a kiss through the thin fabric of his leggings. "But you know the curtains match the drapes," he added wickedly, adding a nip for good measure.

 

Leo cuffed his ear, albeit without any real force. He set the book down atop his pillow and adopted a mocking frown.

 

"Incorrigible. If you have any excess energy after today's training, might I suggest joining the night watchmen on a patrol instead of clinging all over me and keeping me awake?"

 

Niles groaned. "You win. I'm never standing again, by the way. My legs are like jelly after all those running drills your brother put us through. What a tyrant."

 

He nuzzled up into Leo's hand, encouraging him to start petting again. Leo laughed fondly and indulged him.

 

"Spoiled," he heard Leo mutter under his breath.

 

Niles peeked through the veil of his eyelashes in time to see Leo's smile. Warmth blossomed in his chest, ebbing slowly through his tangled limbs. He liked being spoiled. He curled in closer to Leo's lap, draping an arm over Leo's thigh so that his hand settled on the curve of his hipbone.

 

"What made you curious? Reading about hair?" Niles murmured. His voice came out drowsy as fingernails began lightly scratching against his scalp. He loved when Leo did that, how the tingling sensation relaxed his whole body, left him feeling heavy-limbed and content.

 

"Mm. There was an anecdote in this history book about a young queen whose hair turned white overnight," Leo explained. His voice was low so as not to disturb Niles, but there was still an undercurrent of eagerness to share what he'd learned. "She flaunted her wealth and remained oblivious while her people were poor and starving. It sparked a rebellion. She tried to flee, but they captured her and – according to the story, anyway – the shock that she was to be beheaded turned her hair white."

 

"Served her right," Niles sneered.

 

"I thought you might share their sentiment," Leo chuckled drily. "Anyway, it's an interesting theory, that stress can change the color of your hair – even if there's no way to know if it's true. I just thought perhaps… well, it's irrelevant now."

 

There was a rustle as Leo picked up his book again. His fingers idly massaged Niles's scalp, drawing out soft contented noises every so often. Niles could feel his body melting into the mattress. He would have quickly drifted into slumber if an odd memory of fingers in his hair hadn't half-surfaced then, reminding him of something long forgotten.

 

His eye fluttered open, gazing at the ceiling of their bedchamber.

 

"I sold it before," Niles stated conversationally.

 

"Your… hair," Leo clarified, eyebrows furrowed. His touch stilled.

 

Niles chuckled at his apparent disbelief.

 

"Yeah. I sold anything I could. And there was a wigmaker who used to offer the urchins coin to shave their heads. Easy money."

 

Leo exhaled slowly as he processed the information, and resumed stroking his hair. Niles made a small, pleased noise, leaning into the touch. 

 

"I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that people would pay money for this," the prince commented thoughtfully.

 

"White's the most valuable color since the wigmaker could dye it whatever he wanted. I would get an extra copper," Niles said smugly. He had never been much to look at, a ragged one-eyed waif covered in calluses and scars. Any time this body could earn him a meal, he wouldn't hesitate to take advantage of it.

 

"No, that's not…" Leo trailed off.

 

He twisted his fingers around a strand of hair, tugging lightly at it. Niles tipped his chin back, freely allowing Leo to do what he wanted.

 

"…I meant your hair is beautiful," Leo said after a long moment. "I've always thought so. It's so silky and light compared to mine, and… I always enjoy getting to touch it like this. I can see why people wanted it for their own. I hope it's not strange for you that I do this," he added, faint color rising in his cheeks.

 

Niles gazed up at him with lips parted. "Beautiful" wasn't a word he associated with any part of himself, now or ever before. Leo, on the other hand, was his definition of beauty. He felt that funny warmth pooling in his chest again, threatening to overwhelm him with adoration.

 

Gods, he was disgustingly, hopelessly in love with Leo.

 

"I don't ever want you to stop," Niles whispered.

 

He turned his face into the crook of Leo's knee, burrowing deeper into his lap and hiding his crooked smile. Incorrigible, indeed. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> been toying with this [headcanon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marie_Antoinette_syndrome) for a while. c: feel free to yell at me on twitter @magepaw


	6. Vines

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a special gift for [Doxy](http://archiveofourown.org/users/doxian/pseuds/doxian)~ <333 Please be sure to read the amazing [leoniles they wrote for me](http://archiveofourown.org/works/9852758), I am burning foreverrrr 
> 
> Note: while this chapter doesn't raise the overall rating of the fic and fades to black, it's more than a little suggestive with Brynhildr usage so uhhh be aware //// ~~not that niles isn't always suggestive, but. welp. it's his kink haha~~

 

Niles panted, cobblestones cold beneath his knees. His arrow was nocked and ready to fire, muscles taut as he held the bowstring steady between sweat-slick fingers. The training skirmish had gone on longer than he'd expected (and he'd wasted too much energy at the start, but gods, he couldn't resist toying with new recruits. It was too much fun to watch them quake in their boots every time he purposely missed and they knew it).

  
  
They had all been dismissed now, all but him; it wasn't often that his liege participated in these games himself, but there were precious few Nohrians more stubbornly competitive than Lord Leo. Niles was under no illusion that he'd best Leo in strategic combat, but at the very least, he wasn't ready to roll over and surrender _just_ yet. Maybe there was still fun to be had. 

  
  
Niles tried to quiet his ragged breathing to no avail. His eye watered at the sudden shimmering aura of magic coalescing into form – shit, _move_ – but before he could dodge the spell, his arm was wrenched back by a sudden force. His bow clattered uselessly against the stones, arrow careening off the wall. Niles spat a curse and reeled back a step, but found himself pinned to the spot.

 

Thick ropy vines crawled up his legs, looping around the jut of his hips, dragging his arms out away from his torso. The movement swept him upward with an undignified yelp, flailing feet no longer touching the ground. In the span of a heartbeat, he found himself bound spread-eagle in the unforgiving branches of Brynhildr.

  
  
Damn his blind spot.

 

As expected, Leo was always ruthless about taking any advantage he could. Niles hung his head and chuckled appreciatively as Leo stepped into view, tome tucked neatly under one arm.

  
  
"Well, you caught me," Niles drawled with a shameless grin. "I give up. Now what are you going to do with me this time?"

  
  
Leo scrutinized him, one finger tapping thoughtfully against his lips.

  
  
Niles's fingers twitched uselessly. Experimentally he tried to pull his arms in toward his body, but even as he strained, Niles could not move. His heart thudded faster against his ribcage. The prince tilted his head in consideration, and Niles awaited whatever menial task he would be assigned for losing the skirmish. Running drills with those sloppy recruits, probably. At least he could make a few of them cry before day's end.

  
  
Niles's grin faltered when he saw Leo's gaze linger oddly on the way he was trussed up, Brynhildr's light pulsing against tanned skin. He hadn't released the spell yet.

  
  
Leo's finger moved from his lips in a subtle direction, and his magic responded to his will. Coruscating vines curled delicately around Niles's wrists, making his skin tingle. It didn't quite _hurt_ like this, but it wasn't exactly _comfortable_ where the ancient magic touched bare skin, either. The electric current of power made his hair stand on end.

 

It made him instinctively want to recoil, but he had nowhere to go. His breath hitched as the vines cinched tighter, budding leaves unfurling to tickle his palms.

  
  
"Milord?"

  
  
Niles meant for the question to fall lightly, playfully, but his voice tumbled out rough instead, hoarse to his ears. His mouth went dry.

  
  
Leo's concentration, his control, was awing to behold firsthand. The memory of how they met burst unbidden to his mind. This magic felt wholly different from that tangle of vicious thorns ready to flay him bare. This was so precise, shaped to immobilize but so careful not to injure him.

 

Leo… had he practiced this?

 

Niles swallowed, squirming slightly against his bonds, as the vines delicately brushed against his bare throat.

  
  
Leo was still watching him – studying him, more like, with what could pass as a dispassionate stare if Niles didn't know better by the faint color dusting pink along his high cheekbones. There was no doubt in Niles's mind that Leo was enjoying this.

  
  
"I suppose the training yard is a little too public for what I have in mind," Leo said smoothly.

  
  
With a careless flick of his wrist, Niles was dumped to the ground. Brynhildr dissipated into motes of colorful dust.

  
  
Niles gasped, shuddering at the residual frissons of magic crawling along his skin. He was somehow too hot and too cold all at once, sensations jumbled from the spell. He licked his lips, trying to find a clever retort, but found he had nothing to say as he lay in an undignified heap at his lord's feet.

  
  
"Your punishment game will continue later tonight, in my bedchamber," Leo announced. "Don't be late."

  
  
"Yes, milord," Niles croaked a little too eagerly. He definitely wouldn't be late.


End file.
